This three-shot was written for a challenge by UndercoverRanga and takes place during fifth year. Non-compliant with Order of the Phoenix and subsequent books. Enjoy!

Hermione stumbled into the Gryffindor Common room, completely shocked by what had just happened. Please, would someone just wake her up and tell her that she was just having an incredibly weird, albeit disturbing nightmare. But no such thing happened, pinching herself didn't help either, she was indeed awake.

"Hermione!" She was vaguely aware that someone had called her, probably more than once, as she noted the slightly impatient edge to his tone.

"Hermione!" This time, Ron had shouted even louder, causing some first years to look up confused. However, it fulfilled its purpose, as Hermione finally seemed to snap out of her trance and made her way over to her two best friends.

Once she had nestled herself in her favourite armchair and said her hellos to the two guys, Ron once again addressed her: "Hermione…" There was a slightly nervous undertone to his voice and Harry seemed to be awkwardly absorbed in his book.

Suddenly a sense of déjà-vu overcame Hermione. Oh no, this couldn't be happening. It was back to fourth Year all over again. At least, Ron seemed to have learnt from his mistake during the previous year. She knew what he wanted to ask her, and she also knew that – once again – she had to disappoint him. And what for?

She couldn't stand looking at Ron, this time he had done nothing wrong, he asked her just a few hours after the announcement, and yet she had to say no to him all the same.

"I can't", she interrupted him, before he could even pluck up the courage to ask her.

"Why not?", Ron asked quietly, not even questioning her as to how she knew what he had been about to ask. Guilt was washing over her face, this time he had done nothing to deserve her rejection.

"I already have a date", she answered as quietly as he had asked. She did not add whom she was going to the ball with, she couldn't do that to him, not just yet.

He fell silent, and so did she, neither knowing what to say and an uncomfortable silence was emerging. She could see that Harry was looking uncomfortable as well, clearly he had not been reading at all, but rather listened in on their conversation.

"I have to go – library", Hermione blurted out, grasping her bag and half-sprinting out of the common room. Neither of the two boys questioned that, even though she had just come back from the library minutes before.

Oh, bullox. What had she done? Hermione had seated herself in her favourite corner in the library, yet for once she was not thinking about books at all. Instead she was reflecting on what had just happened during the last thirty minutes, it still seemed to be so surreal, ridiculous really.

Earlier, at breakfast that morning, Professor Dumbledore had announced that there was to be held a ball at Christmas, similar to the Yule Ball last year, the main difference being that there would only be Hogwarts' students this year, and that all years would be allowed to go - with different curfews though. They called it the Platinum Ball, and if she had interpreted Dumbledore's not-so-subtle clues correctly, it was to be even more pompous than the Yule Ball.

Well, so far so good. She had actually been happy to hear the news. The ball last year had been so much fun, other than the rather abrupt ending that is, and she was looking forward to it.

Being finished with breakfast before the boys, she had left them at the table, wandering off to the library instead. As they had a free period first thing in the morning, she wanted to go over her Potions homework which they were to hand in that afternoon.

Everything had been fine so far, something extraordinary had yet to happen. And it had.

Just as she left the library, she bumped into none other than her least favourite person at the school, Draco Malfoy.

"Watch it, mudblood", he had shouted at her, but then a guilty and somewhat angry reflection had crossed his face, but had disappeared too quickly for her to really catch it.

She was just about to angrily storm off, when he stopped her. She suddenly noticed that he was on his own for once.

"Where are your sidekicks, Malfoy? Don't tell me Goyle and Crabbe have actually grown some brains of their own and noticed that you're not the almighty god they believe you to be?", taunted Hermione against her better judgement. Damn her outspoken nature. One day it would get her into serious trouble, she was sure of that.

Draco opened his mouth as if to retort, but closed it without saying anything. An emotion like anger once again crossed his face, but he seemed to be doing his best to control himself.

"Good to see you, actually, Granger", Draco said instead. "You're just the one I was looking for. I wondered whether you would do me the favour of going to the ball with me." He bowed mockingly.

Hermione wasn't even entirely sure whether he was being serious or trying to ridicule her, so she answered the only way she knew how to: "Only in your dreams, Malfoy", she said sneeringly and once again turned to leave.

"Rather my nightmares", she heard Draco mumble, even though she had the faint impression that he had not meant for her to hear that.

He once again stopped her as she wanted to head off. "What is it now, Malfoy?", she asked, annoyed.

"Oh, is Miss Perfect afraid of going to the ball with someone as good-looking as me?", Draco taunted her.

"Rather afraid of being bored to death by your company", she retorted.

"Argh, I think you mixed something up there, Granger. You mean, that I would be the one bored to death, don't you." Draco smirked at her.

"Yeah, intelligent conversation bores you so quickly, doesn't it", said Hermione.

"Why don't you try me", replied Draco.

"I'd rather not, thank you", Hermione said icily.

"Ah, see, after all, it all comes down to the same thing. You are afraid of going to the ball with me!"

Hermione had to suppress the urge to hit Draco, hit him hard, somewhere it would hurt a lot. But she believed herself to be too much of a lady to fall back on means like that. At least not just yet.

"Fine", she snapped.

"Pardon me", Draco asked. Oh, he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Fine, I'll go to the ball with you. Meet me in front of the Great Hall at five to eight."

With that, Hermione finally stormed off, however, not fast enough to fail to notice the satisfied smirk on Draco's face.

"See you then, Granger", he called after her.

Hermione still couldn't believe that she had just given in like that, that she had actually said yes. Never mind that that was probably the longest conversation she had had with the Slytherin, far longer than she had ever wished to talk to him.

This whole situation was just ridiculous. And it was giving her one hell of a headache.